Pronger an unfortunate absentee for Flyers Carnival

PHILADELPHIA — Chris Pronger was conspicuously absent Sunday as his teammates did everything from sign autographs to flop feet-first into a dunk tank.

It was the 35th Flyers Wives Fight For Lives Carnival, the third consecutive one to be co-chaired by Lauren Pronger, who admitted she’s had a lot on her plate of late at home.

“We have lots of help right now because we need it,” said Lauren, a mother of three and a loving wife still very worried about her husband’s health. “We’re dealing with a lot right now.”

Now 37 and about four months removed from when he played his last game, Chris Pronger is far from certain about his hockey playing future. Though officially listed as being out for the season, and while no one has been promoted to take his captaincy title for the Flyers, Pronger is nowhere near even thinking about making a return for the playoffs.

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Nor, his wife says, does it do him any good to speculate on his career beyond the present.

“He has good days and bad days,” Lauren says as she talks about Chris’ post-concussion symptoms that has changed their lives. “Unfortunately, I can’t report any major improvement. I certainly wish I could. It’s very disheartening.

“I see a lot of differences in Chris. So, (we’re) hoping to have a couple of good days in a row and see him back to his normal self again. I know he wants that, too. It’s very frightening for him.”

Chris spends mostly every day at home in Haddonfield, she says. He tries to rest, tries to simply feel better. It isn’t slow in coming, it’s simply inconsistent. It comes, it goes.

“A lot of times he has to take naps,” she says. “He needs the brain to heal. So he does as much as he can. He’s pretty much held back. He doesn’t leave the house very much at all. ... It’s a shame. I know he misses the camaraderie.”

The headaches, the fatigue, the “foggy” feeling, it’s not very different, just that much deeper. She indicates he’s had concussions before, “but not this level.”

“He’s not himself; that’s what I would say,” she said. “And it’s not in a good way. ... It’s very, very frightening for Chris. He’s been able to battle through so much and to come out of it, but this is different. This is really tough on Chris because he wants to be out there more than anyone. This is what he loves. This is his passion, and it’s tough.”

She is asked if she believes he’ll get to the point of being able to resume his career, and though she is prepared for the question she won’t entertain it.

“That is not a fair question to ask – I just want him to get better,” Lauren said. “We’re taking it day to day. We’ll see what happens. He still has a long life ahead of him to live. He has three kids and a wife and everything. Right now we’re just hoping for his health to come back. That’s the priority and our main objective right now.”

Lauren talked Sunday about how Chris may consult former Flyers captain Keith Primeau, who has been dealing with post-concussion symptoms since his retirement, saying, “There are a lot of parallels between the two. So I think Chris now is starting to realize maybe he should be in communication with him. I think the more insight you get the better off you are.”

Primeau, a chain restaurant owner who spends his time dealing with management work for the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL and helps to coach hockey at Bishop Eustace Prep, still lives in Voorhees Twp., N.J. At the request of former GM Bob Clarke, Primeau has informally consulted with area athletes on the effects of concussions since his retirement in Sept. 2006.

“At first I was resistant,” Primeau said. “I thought, ‘I have a concussion, they have a concussion, what are you going to share?’ But as I did it, I found comfort in the conversations. ... You share experiences. They know my situation. Although it doesn’t heal you, it certainly is comforting.”

Should Pronger reach out to him, Primeau said, he’d try to do the same for Chris that others did for him – talk about what needs to be talked about.

“I know some of what he’s going through,” Primeau said. “It’s a long process.”

So while their lives are a lesson in faith and patience, Lauren has busied herself with months of preparations for this Flyers charitable event that she knew about long before the Prongers arrived in the Philadelphia area.

“It’s very overwhelming,” Lauren said. “I’d heard about it; it was a legendary event. So when you first come here it kind of blows you away. By the second year I was getting the hang of it, and now I feel like I’m an old hat at this. It’s a very special event, to see the support from the city and then at the end of the day to see the numbers. To see how much we can raise to give back to all these charities – it really is very special.”

She would have liked to have spent this day the way she had the previous two – helping to coordinate with Chris by her side. For now all they can do is wait, and hope.